The invention relates to an ion sputtering pump having a housing, with at least one getter module situated in the housing, and a heating device for the activation and regeneration of the getter module.
The pumping action of ion sputtering pumps is based on sorption processes which are triggered by ionized gas particles in a gas discharge. To sustain the gas discharge, in the ion sputtering pumps of conventional design, electrode systems configured as diodes or triodes are provided with cell anodes. The electrode system or systems are situated in a magnetic field for the purpose of prolonging the electron paths.
For the selective improvement of the pumping action of ion sputtering pumps, especially for the improvement of the hydrogen sorbing capacity, it is known to dispose a getter module within the pump housing. Known getter modules consist of folded metal strips with a supporting plate. The folded metal strip is the support of a getter material which is not vaporizable and which, after an activation by heating, binds hydrogen, nitrogen, oxygen and carbon monoxide by sorption.
In order to activate the getter module or regenerate it after saturation, a heating process is required. This is performed in known ion sputtering pumps by placing flat heating elements against the exterior of the pump housing so that the entire pump is heated. This results in relatively long activating and regenerating periods due to the large thermal mass that has to be heated.